The 20/20 Phono Stage from Sutherland Engineering is the ultimate in channel separation!

Derived from the best elements of the PH3D and the Hubble, the Sutherland 20/20 Phono Stage's signal path is almost the same as the Hubble; the construction is as simple as the PH3D.

That heritage, however, does not keep the 20/20 design from taking on its own unique character:

First. Everyone wants the advantages of AC power line isolation offered by battery operation. The 20/20 is for the person who wants those advantages, but does not want to mess with batteries. The 20/20 comes as close as possible to offering an equivalence of battery isolation from AC line power.

Second. Two-Mono (definition: bumping it up from dual-mono) construction. The 20/20 is literally two identical mono phono stages. Each channel is on its own circuit board, has its own shielded compartment, power indicator, its own AC power supply and its own power cord. It is the ultimate in channel separation.

"If you're in the market, buy one; if not, buy one anyway... The 20/20 is another winner. It's simple and easy to use, gorgeous to behold, beautifully built, an absolutely superb sonic performer ...one of the High End's very best values." - Brian Damkroger, stereophile.comClick Here to read the entire review!

Break-In:
The Sutherland 20/20 does get to sounding better with break in. Right out the box, the sound can be not so impressive - dull, lifeless. After just an hour or so, the sound will open up and you will get a sense of its talents. The Sutherland 20/20 gets subtly better with more use!!!

Quick Set-Up:
Remove cover. Set gain and loading for each channel with movable shunts. It is OK to change settings with power applied - JUST MAKE SURE to turn down volume control while changing. Plug in power supplies to each channel. Power jack on each circuit board is located at the front. The unit will be muted for about 30 seconds after power is applied. It takes a long time for charge to travel thru all the filtering and ramp up the operating voltage.

Product Reviews:"...listening, of course, is the ultimate proof of any component's worth. When people ask me whether I prefer tube or solid-state designs, I typically reply that I don't care if a component is powered by jellybeans as long as it sounds good. And the 20/20 most certainly does." - Wayne Garcia, The Absolute Sound, September 2011

"Indeed, if one were to describe any character beyond the word "natural" to the 20/20's overall nature I would call it beautiful. The 20/20 is consistently so." - Wayne Garcia, The Absolute Sound, September 2011

"...the sheer beauty of the 20/20, its amazing instrumental separation, and wide-open staging are wonderful things. ...rarely do I have the thrillingly eerie feeling of stepping into a recorded space the way 20/20 delivers it. In this regard it ranks among the finest at any price point." - Wayne Garcia, The Absolute Sound, September 2011

"...the 20/20 persuades the listener in a very subtle, almost subliminal way, of the 'rightness' of the sound emanating from the speakers, I felt it was well balanced, with a tight and seemingly accurate description of the sounds relayed through it, and an almost hedonistic delight in that hard-to-define essence of music... I would certainly put this high on the auditions list if you're looking for a flexible and musical phono stage." - Tony Bolton, Hi-Fi World, October 2010
Click Here to read the entire review!

I upgraded from the phono card in my BAT preamp. Sam recommended a phono stage upgrade when I purchased the VPI Classic 3 about two years ago, I didnt listen - you should always listen to Sam and Jason. So about a month ago I decided to upgrade to a $1200 dollar phono stage I had read very good things about, and it made a huge difference in my system, but it lacked something that I could not put into words. So I called Sam who understanding my system and my sonic tastes said you need a Sutherland. So he sent me the 20/20 to compare with the other. When it arrived It went into the system and for about 45 minutes it was mediocre, but I had been warned to give it an hour or so before it would sound like itself, so I kept putting on records and walking away. Then on the fourth or fifth record, a miracle, my system eased into a state of sublime beauty. The soundstage had expanded, bloomed. I sat in my listening chair listening to what had happened. The soundstage had not changed, but every instrument now had a distinct place on the stage. More than that, every instrument had bloomed and now had an ease to it not fighting with the others. Its presentation is natural and beautiful--the highs shimmer with life, the bass is precise and full, and the midrange is magical. There was life and vitality I had never experienced in my system before the 20/20. It now seems like I am in the recording venue which is something I had only experienced before now listening to $100,000+ systems. Granted my system was already pretty good, but the Sutherland breathed new life into it. It is the single best upgrade I have ever made to my system. By the way, I did not put the $1200 phono stage back in the system for comparison.
In case you are wondering my system is a VPI Classic 3 with Soundsmith Zephyr cartridge on a Gingko Cloud 11, a BAT VK300x SE integrated amp on top of Vibrapod cones and pods, B&W Nautilus 803 loudspeakers on top of Stillpoints, an REL Gibraltor 1 sub, Harmonic Technology speaker cables and interconnects, and Shunyata power conditioner and power cables.
So the Sutherland 20/20 is miraculous, and one should always take the great advice offered by the Elusive Disc experts. Thanks again Sam.